how long before you know if azithromycin worked?

[george136]

About 2 weeks ago I had oral sex with a woman I didn't know very well. I became concerned I could have gonorrhea (even though I know this is unlikely). I took 1g azithromycin 2 days after the incident (I know this is not the optimal dose, but it's all I had and should cure 93% of the time, if indeed I had it). Because of the long half-life (3 days) of the drug, I am not sure how long I need to wait for symptoms to appear (I have not symptoms now) before I can be sure it worked. If it did not immediately cure the disease would the bacteria have been totally resistant and just continued multiplying so that the normal 3-5 day incubation period applies, or would the drug merely inhibit the bacteria and they'll continue multiplying after the level of the drug decreases.

[gracefromHHP]

you need to give the antibiotic a week to work and then wait another week before more testing at the very least.

taking antibiotics when you don't need them is part of why the rates of antibiotic resistance are so high. it also sets you up for fungal infections needlessly too .

[george136]

grace,

Thank you for your response.

To clarify, your opinion then is that 28 days is the time to wait for symptoms to show up? (I will consider a lack of symptoms sufficient to be confident I don't have anything). I was rather hoping that if they were resistant they would simply ignore the antibiotics. too bad.

My impression is that azithromycin is quite safe and I've taken it before with no ill effects. It reduced my anxiety, if nothing else. Did you have any specific concerns in mind with your comment?

Thanks again.

[gracefromHHP]

it's not likely at all that you contracted a std from receiving oral sex. self treating with a medication that isn't very effective on its own also wasn't in your best interest :(

at this point, wait and be seen in 2 weeks for testing if you can't let go of the small risk of any std from this.

grace